Rueben Sandwiches

I take pumpernickel bread, and I use a griddle. First I butter both slices of the bread. Then using one piece, I
put it butter side down on a medium hot griddle (not too hot.) Then I layer it like this: a slice of swiss
cheese, a few slices of corned beef, about 2 tablespoons saurkraut, another slice of swiss cheese, and a dollop
of Thousand Island Dressing. The put the 2nd piece of bread, butter side up, on top. Then flip it over
and grill the other side of the bread until both sides are toasty and the cheese is melted. Yummy!

I have a recipe for Mini ruebens that is really good too. Want that one?
I make these for all our parties; they are really good at New Years Eve. The best part, these can be mixed up
the day before and stored in a tightly sealed container until you are ready to bake them. And you don't have
to bake them all at once; you can do 5 or so at a time, then save the rest for later. It will keep for 3 days or
so.

2 packages Budhig dried corned beef, chopped (the small packages - I buy mine at Aldi's 3/$1)
1 cup sauerkraut
1 cup Swiss cheese (I buy the slices and chop it)
1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing
1 loaf party rye

Combine the first 4 ingredients. Toss to coat. Using a tablespoon, spoon onto slices of party rye. Bake on
greased cookie sheet at 400 until cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Steak Sandwiches

I had to make something my mom used to make before our cook outs before the
4th.


My mom always bought steaks for the 4th, and she always fixed some the night or a few nights before "just
to make sure" they were ok. I did it how she did tonight, and it was soooo good.


I took a slice of Texas Toast garlic bread and put it in the oven and let it get crisp. On the top of the stove, I
got a heavy skillet smoking hot. I started doing something with the steaks not long ago, and I love it: I but-
ter the outside of the steak, both sides, salt and pepper, and using no grease in the skillet, I plop the steak,
mine was a strip, in the smoking skillet. 3 minutes on each side. I take it out of the skillet, and put the steak
right on top of the slice of Texas Toast. That's all I had for dinner: a steak on top of a slice of Texas Toast. I
slice it up together, you don't eat a piece of steak without a slice of bread. Yummmm.


Omelets—Catt’s Secret to Fluffy Omelets


In order to get your omelet fluffy, you have to separate the yellows from the whites. You whip the whites to
a foam, then incorporate them into the yellows. Then pour into a greased omelet pan, and left the edges, let-
ting the liquid go under what is cooked (lift gently with a spatula) until it is done.
Hope this makes sense - I've been making omelets for years - it was a good cheap satisfying dinner!



Catt's Manicotti

Crepes for Manicotti:
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
To make crepes: Mix ingredients together and stir until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls or 1/4 cup of mixture
onto a hot, lightly greased nonstick 6-inch pan. Crepes should form and become dry almost instantly as you
swirl the pan and its contents. Turn crepe over to cook other side quickly. Remove cooked crepe to waxed
paper to cool. They can be stacked with waxed paper between each and then placed in the freezer until
you're ready to fill them. This makes about 9 crepes.


I used this exact recipe, and it worked perfect. I just poured the mixture onto a hot skillet, and I ended up
with 11. I am sure it varies. So don't let making the crepes intimidate you, they were super easy. I filled it
with my own filling, because I could not find some of her stuff, and when I did it was pricey. This is what I
used:


2 - 15 oz packages Ricotta cheese
1 - 8 oz package Cream cheese
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Handful of grated Mozzarella cheese


I mixed this all together, and put a spoon full in the middle of each crepe-and I have half of it left over. I do
not see how she got all that filling in 9 crepes. I am going to make more tomorrow I think - they were to die
for, I mean one of the best things I have ever made. And they were packed full of the cheese mixture, so I
could not have gotten anymore in them.


Here is the sauce I used: (I didn't use hers, again, too pricey for the pieces
of meat she used)


2 - 29 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 - 29 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 - small can tomato paste
1 diced onion
2 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons crushed garlic in jar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves (whole, fish out before you serve the sauce)
1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet
1 tsp chicken base (or 1 chicken bullion cube)


Using a bit of olive oil, sauté the onion in your stock pot - add the garlic, but don't burn it - it will get bitter.
Then add all the rest of the ingredients, simmer for an hour or so.
I made the Manicotti, put it seam-side down in a dish that had a little sauce on the bottom, then ladled more
sauce over the top. I topped with a cup or so of Mozzarella cheese, and baked it at 400 degrees until brown .
Delicious!

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What the country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds.